


Learn to love

by editsxzs



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Anne whit an E, F/M, Hopeful Ending, My First Fanfic, Sad Ending, awae, so please don’t go hard on me, thank you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-24 09:46:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21336217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/editsxzs/pseuds/editsxzs
Summary: This is how I imagine Gilbert finally confessing his feelings for Anne, who’s not having any of it.
Relationships: Anne Shirley & Roy Gardner, Anne Shirley/Roy Gardner, Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe/Winifred Rose
Comments: 5
Kudos: 55





	Learn to love

**Author's Note:**

> I got this idea while listening to “impossible by James Arthur”. You should listen to it too, just to get the same feels, ya know. Also it’s unedited, so sorry for the spelling errors.

Gilbert slowly danced with his fiancée, Winifred, in the middle of the dance area. He proposed a month ago and everything going perfectly fine since. Gilbert didn’t feel the giddiness and excitement as he thought he would. Don’t get this wrong, he can’t wait to be Winnie’s husband, but he can not imagine how his life will go after the wedding. He can’t imagine seeing her blonde curls everyday and night. He could not possibly imagine how their children would look like even if he tried. Does she even want children? Gilbert didn’t know. But it felt safe and calm. That what’s important, right? 

As they swayed slowly Gilbert felt something lightly hitting his back. Or rather someone.

“Ow, sorry mate!” Gilbert heard as he turned around.

There stood a tall man, with dark hair and black eyes and with the biggest smile he ever saw. Beside him a little read head with a light green dress. Wait a minute...

“Anne?” asked Gilbert a little surprised. He didn’t know why was he surprised, of course Anne is going to be on such an event as a fancy ball. It’s very...romantic. Just like her.

“Oh... Hi. I didn’t expected you two here” said Anne with a polite smile. “Uhm, Gilbert, Winifred this is Roy, my- partner.” At this Anne squeezed Roy’s hand a little and he threw a loving smile at her. “And Roy let me introduce you Gilbert. He’s one of my old classmates. And Winifred, his lovely fiancée” the smile never left her lips.

Gilbert felt an unfamiliar pang in his chest. He knew this moment will come one day, but the last thing he wanted is actually meeting Anne’s love interest. He should not feel like this. He had everything he needs. A good job, money and a beautiful soon-to-be wife. Then why the hell does he feel like punching this man on the face? 

They shook hands. Gilbert maybe a little more violently than it was necessary, but Roy’s smile just widened at the gesture. 

“Pleasure to meet you two. Please do tell what our Queen Anne did back then. I imagine her being the talk of Avonlea for time to time.” Anne giggled softly and punched Roy on the arm, which made him laugh out loud as well. 

Gilbert felt very awkward. But Winifred was there to save the evening.

“Oh yes. She surely had a reputation. Maybe one of her biggest affairs was when she published an article about women’s right and free speech. That was definitely something!”  
Winifred sounded proud. She always had a soft spot for Anne, however it seemed like she wasn’t Anne’s favorite person. She always looked up at strong and intellectual women and Anne was definitely one.

“I know about that. I’ve read it a thousand times. If not more!” Anne had a light blush on her face. It’s because of the subject and has nothing to do with the fact that Gilbert Blythe is right there looking dashing in a black suit and neatly styled hair, peering right into her soul.

As the small talk continued Anne kept admiring the floor, and Gilbert kept admiring Anne. After all he never felt ashamed looking at her with a specific look, but he should know better with his wife-to-be on his arm.

Anne had enough of Gilbert’s starring. She needed to get away from him as soon as possible. “It was pleasant to meet you, but we should get going soon.” 

“Oh yes, I actually wanted to take you to a walk in the garden, Anne.” Anne couldn’t believe what she heard... was Roy, nervous? Well, it was new for sure, but at least she can get away from two specific hazel eyes.

“Alright, enjoy your night.” Said Winifred with a little nod.

As Anne and Roy headed outside Gilbert felt like he can breath again. But every air left his lungs when he looked at a well, not too happy Winifred. 

“I can’t believe you Gilbert Blythe.” She was most definitely mad, alright.

“Whatever the matter?” Gilbert confusion was clear , it made Winifred just a slightly more frustrated.

“You really think I didn’t notice your starring? I thought you and Anne were just friends.” The second part was much softer and it made Gilbert feel horrible. So he put both of his hands to Winifred’s cheek to made her look at him.

“There’s nothing you should worry about. I just- Anne made me remember Avonlea. There’s nothing between me and her. Alright?” Gilbert almost believed what he had said.

“Are we wasting each other’s time? Are you wasting my time?” With that Gilberts hands slowly slide from her cheeks to his side. “I’m not mad. I just need to know. Do you want this marriage?” She sounded confident and not even bothered.

Gilbert’s brain was racing. Whatever this is between them is strong and safe. Maybe it’s not love, but he can learn how to love her, can’t he? Should he drop it all and run to someone’s arms who is already in someone else’s? Should he choose his heart or his brain. Both betrayed him a lot of times. “Marry for love, only for love” Mary’s voice whispered to his ears. But how does love feel like? How could he possibly know if nobody gave him a proper answer when he asked? He had a lot of questions and he still does have and they’re remaining unanswered. But the answer was clear for once.

“Yes”

~~~

“It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?”

Roy and Anne walked arm in arm in the garden behind the house in which the ball held in. The stars were shining brighter than Anne ever remembered. It was cold but bearable, but it’s going to rain soon for sure. The music from the ball still could be heard. It was a beautiful night indeed.

All Anne wanted is to enjoy the slightly faded music and the cold breeze of the night. For once in her life, she didn’t feel like talking.

However Roy had different plan for the night. “I feel like I have to worry about him.”

Anne’s head snapped up to look at Roy.

“Have to worry about who?” 

“Gilbert.” Roy kept his eyes on the path in front of him “He couldn’t take his eyes off of you. I mean, it’s very understandable, but not acceptable.”

Anne was taken aback and so she stoped.

“It’s ridiculous! He has a fiancée and I have you! Why would you worry about him?”

Roy looked at Anne with a shy and little sad smile.

“Having a fiancée doesn’t mean anything Anne, at least not for everyone. I personally would never look at any other women, but i have meet a lot of people. And the look he gave you is impossible to misread.“ he seemed so unsure about himself, it was all so strange of him.

“I love you. There’s nothing and no one that could change that.” It made Roy smile.

But he had to ruin everything.

“I- I was wondering if...ah.”

Roy took Anne’s hand and went to one knee. As he looked up at her he saw the tears slowly leaving her wide eyes.

“Anne Shirley-Cuthbert... would you make me the happiest man in the whole world by marrying a sorrowful fool like me?” 

Anne watched him in horror, she loved him, but she... she can’t do this. She can’t do this to him when she felt like flying when Gilbert looked at her. She can’t promise to love him and him only when she can’t forget a certain curly haired boy- man. She can’t when the man who she dreamed about oh so much is dancing with another woman. She can’t broke Roy’s heart more than she’s about to.

Anne pulled her hands out of Roy’s like his touch burnt her. Her vision was burry by tears, but she could see how Roy’s smile dropped and shoulders went slack. She grabbed her skirt and turnt to go back to the ball and leave, but as she was about to head back she saw a black figure starring from the porch. She didn’t have to see the strangers face to know who was it. She looked back at Roy then turned around and ran straight into the woods. Her safe place.

She just ran and ran, didn’t know where, or why, she just had to get away. She felt like she was running since forever, she didn’t felt her legs, but kept going. Everything had to be ruined. She had to ruin everything. He had to ruin everything, with his loving stares and with that beautiful, intelligent woman on his side. He had to make her feel beautiful and wanted. He had to make her feel like flying and like everything was possible, like loving her was possible. She hated him. She hated him so much she was positive she loved him more than she dared to admit. More than she could love anyone. She hated hi-

And suddenly she felt to the ground onto her knees. She made no effort to stand up, just started sobbing into the silent night. Everything went wrong in matter of minutes. She felt miserable, the wind dried her tears to her cheeks and her heart fell into the tip of her stomach in a million and one pieces. 

“Anne?” Perfect, that’s the last thing she needed. Gilbert Blythe.

“Anne please talk to me.” He sounded so desperate, so pathetic.

“Go away.” Spar back Anne over her shoulder, slowly standing up.

“You can’t send me away. And you can not run away, not again.” 

No answer.

“Anne.” Gilbert touched her should and Anne quickly slapped them away.

She turned around with more tears streaming on her face.

“What? What is it Gilbert that you possibly want from me? I think you saw quite enough and done even more!” She didn’t want to do anything with Gilbert Blythe. He ruined her life once more.

“Anne I want you! I- Why is this so hard to say? You feel it, I feel it. Why don’t we just say it? I love you!”

“Go. Away.”

“No! Because you know you love me! And we have to be together!” He tried to hold her hand again and it gained a hard slap on his right cheek. He’d much more prefer a slate.

“Don’t tell me how I feel! Don’t you dear ever touch me again! I don’t want to do anything with you! She was about to walk past him but Gilbert couldn’t possibly let her go forever.

“I’m not telling you how to feel, it’s clear Anne. I don’t even understand why where you with Roy at the first place when-“

“BECAUSE YOU LEFT ME!” Anne screamed onto his face. More tears started it’s way down her face as she continued. “You made me fall in love with you. You made me believe that my silly dreams could come to reality. You lifted me up then when I was the highest you dropped me! You hurt me!”

Gilbert’s own tears started to fell slowly. He wanted to hug her, to feel her, to apologize and make sure she knows he loves her. But Anne steeped back.

“Please Anne, what can I do? I’ll do anything!” So, so pathetic.

“I want you to go back to Winifred. To tell her how much you love her, to have a beautiful family with her and to never break her heart. I want you to love her the way you could ever love me.” Anne stopped crying, she was calm. Or perhaps exhausted.

Gilbert didn’t want to be with Winifred anymore. The moment he saw Anne reject Roy he knew he had a chance. So he took it. But he was too foolish to understand how bad he was at timing. “Anne pleas-“

“That’s what I want, Gilbert. Just forget about me.” With that she moved around Gilbert and left him broken hearted.

Gilbert sat down leaning to a tree. 

It’s going to rain soon and he may catch his death.

Maybe he will...


End file.
